EdD Doctor of Education

Are you an education professional who would like to develop your knowledge and research skills at doctoral level, while maintaining a focus on the issues and challenges that arise from your practice? The Doctor of Education (EdD) programme is designed to meet this need, with taught modules which prepare you for independent, in-depth research into a specific area of interest.

Course Details

The Doctor of Education course was the first of its kind to be introduced at the University and it has become a popular route for education professionals to obtain qualifications at the highest level. In a professional doctorate, it is expected that you will carry out research into some aspect of your own professional context, although this need not necessarily be your own workplace. The programme differs from the traditional PhD in that it is in two parts. Stage one, the taught element, covers the development and submission of your research proposal. Stage two is a programme of directed and independent study leading to the production and defence of your own critical commentary.

Our welcoming team of experienced, professionally and academically qualified staff will help you to understand how you can align your research topic of interest to current research in relevant fields, and apply it to your own professional practice and context. The EdD provides you with an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate your ability to implement a research project and opens up opportunities for higher education lecturing and/or research posts.

If your inquiry into your practice and your professional activities can be aligned, it may be possible for you to study full-time while you are working. The full-time route takes four years. As a full-time student you will: (1) Study the taught modules in the first year together with the part-time students (but you will need to do more intensive reading and preparation for the research phase than your part-time colleagues); (2) spend two years carrying out your research, analysing your data and writing your thesis (as opposed to four years in the part-time option); (3) have one year ‘writing up’, during which you can submit your thesis. If you need more time you can apply for it.

Career Opportunities

The Doctor of Education (EdD) is a doctoral degree with a research focus in the field of education. It is designed to prepare you for academic, research, administrative, clinical, or professional positions in educational, civil, private organisations, or public institutions.

The EdD is aimed at experienced educational professionals wishing to further develop their research, analytical, conceptual and critical thinking skills. Employers in education and elsewhere recognise doctoral qualifications as an indicator of high-quality performance which may lead to promotion within your current role.